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Medical conditions that cause dizziness and when to seek help

Getting an overwhelming feeling of dizziness is not a pleasant experience, even if the sensation only lasts for a short period of time.

Being unsteady on the feet or having a sweeping bout with lightheadedness can be debilitating for the healthiest individuals, and not knowing where the dizziness comes from is often a cause for concern. Although millions of adults around the world experience feeling dizzy multiple times each year, there are various medical reasons why the sensation takes place.

Fortunately, there are also remedies for the occasional dizzy spell must which require medical attention to some extent. It is helpful to understand the underlying causes of dizziness and the most appropriate time to seek help.

What Causes Dizziness

There are several medical conditions that result in the feeling of dizziness, with the most common issues including:

Benign paroxysmal vertigo: up to 50% of adults experience the inner ear problem of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo or BPPV. When debris from a part of the inner ear known as otoconia crystals fall into the wrong part of the ear, a person’s sense of balance and gravity is off. For most, an episode of dizziness caused by BPPV only lasts for a few moments, but it can be debilitating and continue to take place over time.

Natural aging process: for older adults, dizzy spells are more common due to underlying conditions with the eyes, the vestibular system in the inner ears, and weakened muscles. When bodily systems are not functioning in sync, dizziness is often the result.

Anemia: feeling lightheaded is common when an individual has anemia, which is defined as a deficiency in iron within the blood. Because there is not enough iron to create the red blood cells and hemoglobin required to provide oxygen to the brain, dizziness is an ongoing issue for those with low iron.

Ear infections: while ear infections, also referred to as labyrinthitis, are mostly associated with children, adults can get bacteria the viruses in the ear which result in temporary dizziness. In some serious cases, ear infections inflame the inner ear, throwing off equilibrium.

Meniere’s disease: although it is not widely known, Meniere’s disease is a common cause of dizziness in adults. Nearly one in 1,000 individuals in the UK has the condition which is a long-term medical issue caused by increased pressure of the endolymphatic sac fluid which ultimately affects the balance and hearings components of the inner ear. Severe dizziness that takes place consistently is a notable symptom of the disease.

Seeking Medical Attention

Experiencing a temporary spell of dizziness may not seem like a pressing reason to visit your primary care doctor or an ear, nose, and throat specialist, but there are certain instances where seeking out medical attention is a must.

When dizziness persists for a period of time, whether that is a few days or a few months, it is best to schedule an appointment as soon as possible. Seeing a medical professional is necessary for determining the root cause of the dizziness, and receiving options for the best-fit treatment to remedy the problem. Conditions like ear infections, anemia, and BPPV can be treated with the help of an ENT specialist, and the symptoms of Meniere’s disease, including dizziness, can be greatly reduced once an accurate diagnosis is made.

While it is important to get medical care sooner rather than later when dizzy spells strike, a solicitor from a medical negligence team shares that misdiagnosis cases related to ENT conditions are not rare. For an individual who has Meniere’s disease, for instance, other conditions like a migraine or an ear infection may be initially pegged as the culprit of dizziness.

Because ENT specialists limit their practice to a single area of focus, it is incredibly important for individuals suffering from dizziness to see out a second opinion in an effort to avoid misdiagnosis. Receiving a second expert opinion reduces the chances of starting a treatment that may not be appropriate for the underlying condition, saving the patient physical, mental, and emotional stress and potentially speeding up the recovery process.

Dizziness is a common occurrence among adults, even when they represent the epitome of health. Underlying medical conditions which cause the feeling of unsteadiness or lightheadedness should be determined as soon as possible so that treatment options can be provided and the issue can be resolved.

Before jumping into an interventional procedure suggested by an ENT specialist, patients should make plans to secure a second opinion to help reduce the potential for a misdiagnosis and inappropriate course of treatment avoiding having to seek help from a solicitor from a medical negligence team.